What Causes My Air Conditioning System to Ice Up?

When it comes to air conditioning repair, Fairview Park OH needs to treat it as a significant concern. Our summers can get hot and muggy, leaving an air conditioning unit as your best form of relief. It pays to know when something’s wrong so that you can address the issue quickly without risking a shut-down in the middle of a blazing heat wave. For example, you may notice ice or frost forming on parts of your unit, and assume that it means the unit is functioning normally. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. “What causes my air conditioning system to ice up?” you ask. It’s usually a fairly simple problem that can nonetheless lead to more serious issues.

Air conditioning systems rely on refrigerant gas to cool the air. The gas must be charged at a specific level matching your particular AC unit. As it cycles through the system, it enters a set of evaporator coils, where it goes from a liquid to a gaseous state – cooling the surrounding air in the process. A blower then pushes the cool air into your duct system, where it is distributed throughout your entire house.

When the refrigerant leaks out of the system, that process is compromised. The evaporator coils can’t do their job like they should and ice forms on their surface. Not only does this retard the cooling process, but it increases wear and tear on the system, as well as creating condensation that can damage other components of the air conditioner when it melts. Simply scraping the ice off won’t help. Unless the leak is sealed and the refrigerant recharged to its proper levels, it will just reform again, perpetuating the cycle.

Luckily, a qualified technician knows how to hunt down the leak and seal it before restoring normal refrigerant levels. It keeps your air conditioning system running smoothly, and prevents larger problems from developing. If you know what causes your air conditioning system to ice up, then contact the experts at Westland Heating and Air Conditioning to help. We handle all kinds of air conditioning repairs in Fairview Park, OH, as it is part of our covered service area, and we stand by our dedication to 100% customer satisfaction. Call us today to help get rid of that ice.